tmc signature 60 planted

[george dicker]

 

[george dicker]

 

[Rahms]

I think playing with filter media is a bit of a red herring. Your tank isn't heavily stocked at all (don't think any planted tanks are really), you're mainly using the 106 as a pump rather than a filter, and adding more ceramic things is going to lower your turnover. I've got a 206 with just a few sponges because I wanted more flow, and I think my tanks smaller than yours (60L).

And I think unless your tank is an absolute whirlpool, you're always going to get higher CO2 concentration that close to the surface, maybe try moving it lower down? I know its a fancy over-edge one, but I've seen people put them deeper using a spare sucker

Pump looks snazzy! good luck

 

[george dicker]

well, as I am doing a lot of water changes, I was thinking the more nitrifying bacteria the better, so it can quickly convert ammonia

 

[Rahms]

well, as I am doing a lot of water changes, I was thinking the more nitrifying bacteria the better, so it can quickly convert ammonia

is there ammonia in your tapwater? Lots of water changes should mean you need less bacteria rather than more. Unless you're seeing signs of ammonia in your tank, its just wasted effort (and flow)

 

[george dicker]

theres no ammonia no, but there is chlorine, so my thinking is that the chlorine could hold back the cycling

 

[george dicker]

 

[george dicker]

substrate b4 vaccuuming

 

[Rahms]

whats wrong with water conditioner? why fix a problem that doesnt exist (and potentially creating another in the process)

your new plant growth looks happy anyways, just seems to build up algae once it ages! probs just need to drop the light level a bit

 

[george dicker]

do you mean dechlorinator ?

 

[george dicker]

that is true, when my tankl was new, no algae problems what so ever

 

[george dicker]

have u got a reef

 

[Rahms]

yeah dechlorinator!

no reef for me, just a photo from an aquarium (as in, the big ones you visit)

 

[george dicker]

I should use ?

 

[Rahms]

for dealing with chlorine, yes

 

[george dicker]

yh, is not leaving it to air for 5 hours enough, generally curious ?

 

[Rahms]

no idea how long it needs, I just use prime. If you have chloramine rather than chlorine, no amount of time will gas it off

 

[luckyjim]

OK...so it sounds like your tank hasn't actually cycled the whole time you have been running it, if you have been adding chlorinated water every water change. No wonder you are having problems.

You definitely need to add water conditioner (de-chlorinator). Otherwise you are killing your filter bacteria each water change and your tank will be all over the place.

You certainly have perseverance, but maybe you should have another look at the basic guidelines for running a tank again as a refresher?

 

[Julian]

On the subject of de-chlorinator, how strict to do you have to be? Can you add it to the tank once the water has gone in?

I'm trying to make my water changes as hassle free as possible.

 

[luckyjim]

Julian - I used to be very strict on dechlorinating water first, before adding it to the tank. However, I have been advised by wiser heads than I that this isn't necessary. But I always add dechlorinator to the tank first just to make sure I don't forget! Also, presumably as soon as you add chlorinated water into the tank it will start attacking bacteria on the substrate/plants/hardscape, although I'm not sure how quickly it can have a deleterious effect. Discussion can be found here:
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/do-you-add-any-substance-on-water-change-day.36549/